The Museum has an official name – the Museum of genocide victims, but in the designation of this Museum in everyday speech, as well as when traveling in the city of Vilnius often use the name of the KGB Museum.

The Museum was opened on October 14, 1992 by order of the Minister of education and culture and President of the Union of political exiles and prisoners. The Museum was housed in the building in which the repressive Soviet patterns - NKGB-MGB-KGB and NKVD – have been located since the mid 1940's, and until August 1991. These organizations were engaged in the planning of arrests or links of Lithuanian residents, conducted prosecution by the activities of dissidents, and by all means suppressed all taken by the people's desire to try to restore the lost independence.

In addition, for the Lithuanian people, this building served as a symbol of Soviet occupation of Lithuania that took place 50 years ago. For this reason, Lithuanians is very important that this place has found its place in the Museum of genocide victims, which should and will remind present and future generations about such a tragic and difficult years for the whole nation (1940-1990). The Museum itself is also unique in that it is the only one of its kind in the former so-called republics of the USSR, which was opened where previously was located in the main Directorate of the KGB.

By 1997, the Museum was reorganized. The rights of the founder of this Museum were given to the Center for the study of genocide and resistance of Lithuanian residents (CYRIL) in accordance with the government decree of the Republic of Lithuania of 24 March 1997. The resolution was entitled: "On the transfer of the research center of reprisals and the Museum of victims of genocide and resistance of residents of Lithuania".

At the moment the Museum is a constituent element of the Memorial Department of the Centre. Its task is the collection, storage, research and promotion of the historical and documentary materials that reflect the techniques and forms are not only physical but also spiritual genocide of Lithuanian residents conducted by the Soviet occupation regime. In addition, it explores the scope and methods of resistance to the occupation mode.

The exposition was housed in that building, which became a symbol of suffering and sorrow for a great number of Lithuanian residents, where in 1940-1990, was the headquarters of the KGB. Around the corner of an ordinary city building is a prison. Every day it hundreds of political prisoners were subjected to brutal torture, and sentenced to death which was carried out in the same place.

In the work of the Museum has an exhibition location: Lithuania in 1940 and 1941. While the repression began. In 1940, Soviet troops invaded in Lithuanian territory. The country was filled with opposition-minded people. For this reason, the very first step of the Soviet government was the establishment of institutions involved in the problems of dissent in this country. At the time of the punitive organs of the NKVD have already gained enough experience against dissatisfied with the present Soviet regime citizens. Only in July of 1940, more than five hundred Lithuanian patriots, former representatives of the authorities and the intelligentsia were subject to arrest.

Museum visitors can see 19 former cells, the insulator 3 square meters, and three torture chambers. The camera was in raw and absolutely not heated. In addition, in a cell of 9 sq metres was immediately up to twenty prisoners, who were strictly forbidden not only to sit and lie down, and close my eyes. Torture chambers were covered with special squarepantis material that was swallowed by the loud cries of the victims, causing severe blows to the tormentors. But the worst was that people who were forbidden to sleep in the dark and sit in the sound, began to lose orientation in space and just went crazy. The floors of the so-called "wet" cells was poured cold water, while the prisoners were forced to stand on disks made of metal, not allowing them to subside for days.

The Museum has guides who were political prisoners in the past. Each guide always shows my camera.